Rotary spark-gap.



R. Cf RICHTER.

ROTARY SPARK GAP.

APPLlcmou man APR. la. 1911.

1,265,959. Pmnted m1449113 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

R. C. RICHTER.

ROTARY SPARK GAP. APPLICATION mib AR. I3, 19|?.

1 ,265,959. Patented May 14, 1918.

2 sHms lsHEU 2.

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ROBERT c. RICHTER, or NEW YORK, 1v. Y. ROTARY SPABLGAP.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application led April 13, 1917. 8erial1o. 16l,922.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. RICHTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockaway Beach, in the county of Queens, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Im roved Rotary Spark-Gra is, of which the fol owing is a clear, full, an exact description.

This invention relates termed rotary spark gaps.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a rotary spark gap that will produce a radiated current of high frequency, and consequently a high pitched tone 1n telep ione receivers such as are usually employed for the reception of radio signals.

nother Object of my invention is to provide means to vary the distance between the electrodes during operation of the rotary spark gap. 4

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter. The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrange ments of arts, all of which will be Vmore fully set Orth hereinafter asshown in thel accompanying drawings and finally pointedV out in the appended claims.

Inasmuch as the electrode carrying disks employed in my invention rotate in opposite directions, the advantages of my invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, a few of which are: the cooling effect upon the electrodes, due to the rotation of the disks opposite to each other, preventing burning of the electrodes and preventing what is commonly termed arcing between the same and also producing a rapid spark quenching effect, greatly to Ibe desired in radio communication, therefore securing increased eiiiciency; the advantage of having the electrodes on the disks pass each other at twice the rate of speed that they would pass a given point if only one disk was used; the advantage of varying the distance between the electrodes during op eration of the rotary spar' gap as required,

Lathe type of spark gap used in radio communication commonly therefore securing accurate adjustment of the transmitting unit.

eferring to the drawings in which the same part is designated by t e same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view bodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly section;

Fig. 3 is a rear view showing a method Of connecting the electro'des thereon electrically' Fig. 4 is a rear view of the structure showing the lever and means whereby the position of the electrodes may be changed.

As shown in the drawings, A is a motor having a 4hollow shaft 1 supported by suit able collars 3 and 4. Through shaft 1 runs shaft 2, adaptedv to rotate freely therein., on which shaft 2 are fastened disk 5 and bevel gear 6 at the ends thereof by pins 7 and 8. On shaft 1 are mounted bevel gear 9 and disk 10. The disks 5 and 10 are made of suitable nonconducting composition such as generally used 4for this purpose. The washer 1a prevents the disks 5 and 10 vfrom coming closer together, and it will be seen that lever 12 prevents the gears connected to the shafts from -changing their distances longitudinally. `The electrodes 11 and 11 are made of a suitable conducting metal (preferably zinc) and are mounted in disks 5 andlO. It will be noted that electrodes 11 pass entirely through and project on both sides of disk 5, but that electrodes 11 pass through ut only project on one side of the disk 10, the purpose of which will loe pointed out hereinafter.

I ivotally mount on the shaft 2 a lever 12 Which lever 12 comprises a handle, preferably made of non-conductinlnaterial, and gear wheel 14 secured thereto y pin 13 and the rocking support 15 and l16. Thus, it

of a structure emof the inner Y disk,

will be seen that upon actuation of the levez" 12, gear wheel 14 actuates geaf- 6 and gear 9 in opposite directions to rotate the shafts 1 and 2, and the disks 5 and 10 carried thereby to radially displace or adjust the relative i 22 and 22 passing through positions of the electrodes 11, 11 relative to each other. It is desirable to lock the parts in any' adjusted position, and for this purpose I providea wing nut 17 which is adapted to be screwed tight with its associated bolt through the slot indicated in the member 16 and a cooperating slot in the upright wall 18 formed on the base 13 of the motor A.

Referring again to Fig. 1., gear 9 and disk 10 are fastened to shaft 1 by set screws 19 and 20, or any other desired means. on-

condu cting members 21 and 21 are provided with horizontally adjustable conducting rods them. To make electrical connection with electrodes 11 and disk 10,1 provide members Q3 and 23 on which are mounted brushes 24 and 24' (made of phosphor bronze, preferably, and of suitable size to permit of the use of heavy current), which brushes contact lightly but firmly on lcopper member Q5 carried by the disk and in electrical connection with the electrodes 11. The members 23 and 23 are Screws 26 and 2G adjustable rods 22 and Q2', while screws 2i and Q7 are used to fasten brushes 24 and 24' to members 23 and 23.

Referring to Fig. 3, which shows the back of the disk 10, the copper member is preferably integral and embedded flush with the surface of the disk or otherwise fastened to disk 10p. At the end of each raare used to dially eXtending member 25' the electrodes 11' are passed through and then fastened tight. in order to make an electrical connection therewith. However, any desired form of connectit for this purpose may be used.

.The operation of my device is as follows'. The motor rotates shaft 1 and bevel gear is thereby caused to relate. which gear 9 meshes with gear 1&1, musing said gear 1i to rotate bevel gear 8 in a direction opposite to that of the shaft l and gear 9 thereby 5 to rotate with therefore, that the er. 1f the causing shaft 2 and disk gear 8. 1t will be seen, disks rotate opposite to cach oth position at which the electrodes pass each other is to be changed, the wing nut 17 is loosened and the lever 12 is moved either to the left or' right. lt will be apparent that. if the lever 12 is swung to the right, its lower part (the bevel gear 14 and support 15, together with slotted member 16) will swing to the left. As the gear 14; swings in the form of an are, that. when the gear 14. .is moved tothe left. for instance one-quarter of an inch, the shaft 1 will advance the disk 5 one-quarter of an inch to the right and the shaft 2 will advance the disk 10 one-quarter of an inch to the left, which operation can be made during Voperation of the device, and which changes it will be seen i the position of the passing of the electrodes in relation to cach other and in relation to the stationary electrodes. When the proper s ace is determined, the wing nut. is again tightened and the members 12, 15 and 1,6 are securely held in position. Mori` or less electrodes may be employed on the disks, and more or less disks may also be used.

1 prefer to use motive power (if variable speed in order to increase or decrease the frequency, and correspondingly change the tone of the signals. I

It 'will be seen that if the secondary terminals of a step-up transformer, such as used in radio communication, be connected, one with members 22 and 22 and the other with brushes 24 and 24 that the high potential of the current will tend to break down the air gap between electrodes 11'I and 11 (the current having traversed through brushes 24 and 2a and copper member 25) and thence from electrodes 1l to'conductorsl22 and 22', and vice electrodes are in close enough alinement with also made of non-conducting material. i tighten the versa, whenever' said each other t'o permit a spark to jump across the air gaps.

While l have shown and described a specifre structure embodying the principles of my invention. I wish it to be understood that my invention in its broad scope as defined by the claims is not to be limited orl re- "stricted thereto, as many changes in details of construction` will readily.' appear to those skilled in the art Withouiwdeparting from the contemplated spirit and scope of my invention. H

Having now described the objects and nature of my invention, what l claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary spark gap structure, the combination wifthelectrods, means for rototing said electrodes in opposite directions relative to each other, and means for varying the point in the travel of said electrodes where they pass each other during the rotation of said electrodes.

2. In a rotary spark gap structure, the combination with a. plurality of disks carrying electrodes, means for rotating said disks in opposite directions relative to each other, and means for varying the point in the travel of said disks where the electrodes pass each other during the rotation of said electrodes.

3. ln a rotaryspark gap combination with a plurality' of disks carrying a plurality of electrodes, means for rotating said disks in opposite directions relative to eachother, and means `for varying the point in the travel of said disks where the electrodes pass each other during the rotation of s'aid electrodes.

4. 'In a rotary spark gap structure, the

stru cture, the

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combination with disks, each carry an electrode, means for rotating said diggs in opposite directions relative to each other, Point in the ectrodes pass of said elect c rotation of said electrodes.

n a rotary spark ga combination with a air of isks opposed to cach other, of a hol ow shaft on which one of said disks is carried, a second shaft passing through said hollow shaft and on which t e oth means for in oppo` d means for shifting the normal position of said shafts relative to sach other.

7. In a rota structure, the combination wit a palr of isks opposed to each other, of a hollow shaft on which one of said disks is carried, a second shaft passh said hollow sh her of said disks is carried simultaneously rotating said sha site directions a l said second s a shafts for co-incidentally moving said shafts relative to each other. n n

n a rotarly; spark gap structure, the combination wit a fair of disks op osed to each other, of a hol ow shaft on wliich one the other ofaid disks lookin structure, the

is carried, a second shaft passsaid hollow shaft and on which is carried simultaneously rotating said sha site directions a lever pivotally mounted on said second aft, means f king said lever relative to said second Shaf connecting said lever and both shafts for coincidentally moving said shafts relative to each other and means for g the said'shafts ative to each other.

of said disks ing through tion re 9. In structure, the I a source of motive power, a hollow shaft connected therewith, a shaft extending through said hollow shaft and adapted to rotate `freely therein, gears ach of said shafts, a ear meshsaid first name gears to rotate said shaft s 1n opposite directions, electrode carrying disks on each shaft, means for changing the relative positions of said during rotation of the same, and electrodes located in proximity to the disks.

a rotary spark gap structure, the

of a source of motive power, a

ed ositions. Signed at the city of New York, New York this 11th day of April one thousand nine hundredzand seventeen.'

4 RGBERT C. RICHTER.

in their fixed posi- 

